Stranded at Christmas
by LoveforPenandDerek
Summary: Morgan and Garcia haven't been getting along very well lately. One of their team mates plots to force them to spend the holidays together and figure things out.
1. Chapter 1

**Note: **_Thank you to all the reviewers and friends who have encouraged me over the years. Everyone who has sent private messages of encouragement to me as I suffered writer's block helped me to find the inspiration to start writing for this fandom again_**. **

_The following story is inspired by the simple and sweet Christmas movies that are on Lifetime and The Hallmark channel at this time of year._

**Stranded for Christmas**

**Morgan and Garcia**

**December 2009**

**Chapter One**

"Let's spend the holidays in the mountains," Penelope grumbled as she slowly inched her old beast of a Cadillac up a slippery hill. Her tone was mocking and stressed out as she went on "It will be fun, she said. A once in a lifetime experience, she said. Fun like a heart attack, which is what this goddess is gonna have if she doesn't get to the gosh darn frickin cabin soon- and in one gosh darn frickin piece!"

Barely able to see past the falling snow, Penelope held her breath as she came to the top of the hill, inched around a corner and then saw the cabin there- lights blazing warmly in the window and looking like an oasis. When Penelope had set out for this trip it had been clear skies but halfway to the cabin it had started to sprinkle snow drops and now it was coming down hard enough to obscure her vision while driving.

She hadn't had a great feeling about renting a cabin in the first place but Emily had insisted it would be a lot of fun and since Penelope's original plans of spending Christmas with her boyfriend Kevin had fallen through- and she didn't relish the idea of sitting home alone on what was supposed to be one of the most festive and happiest days of the year- she had begrudgingly agreed to meet Emily up at this cabin.

Why in the world Emily had thought it would be fun to spend the long holiday weekend out in the middle of nowhere- far from cinnamon dolce lattes and the after Christmas sales at the mall- Penelope could not understand but her friend had been insistent that it was the perfect solution after Penelope had admitted, while they were leaving work earlier today, that she had no one to spend the holiday celebrating with.

Penelope supposed she should be happy that Emily would so willingly and quickly agree to ditch her own family celebration so they could have a girl's weekend. Who knew, maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all? At this moment all she wanted to do was get inside and in front of the fireplace.

The heat in her old car wasn't as strong as it used to be and her toes were going numb after the hour and half long ride from Quantico.

Parking her car in front of a garage, she climbed out, wrenched open the back door and dragged her oversize luggage out of the backseat. The suitcase was so filled to the brim that it opened and spilled everything onto the wet ground.

Groaning, Penelope bent down to gather everything up, while muttering under her breath. "I hate the woods! This is where unsubs lurk in every bush waiting to torture and kill young, sexy things like me. Who could ever find this fun?"

Right then she heard the cabin door open and a deep voice ask, in a confused tone, "Garcia?"

She froze for a moment. Her heart leapt into her throat as she turned around and took in the sight of her co-worker and one of her best friends- the hunkiest hunk that God had ever made, a tall, muscled, bald, work of walking, talking, six foot three art.

"Morgan?"

At the same time they asked "What are_ you _doing here?"

He was wearing a tight fitting dark green sweater and black jeans that hugged his chiseled thighs and ass. A confused scowl marred his otherwise gorgeous face.

"You first," he ordered her to answer.

"Emily said she rented this place for the weekend."

"_I_ rented this place for the weekend. To get away from everyone and have some time to clear my head and chill out." Shaking his head at this strange turn of events of her showing up on his doorstep, Derek came onto the porch, down the stairs and reached for her suitcase. "When I see Prentiss we're gonna have words and, trust me, they ain't gonna be pretty."

"I don't understand. Emily said she found this cabin online today and was lucky to be able to book it last minute."

"Come on inside. It's freezing out here."

Penelope allowed herself to be led inside, with his hand against the small of her back, and once she was in there she looked around and saw a gorgeous log cabin with a luxurious open floor concept, sporting an modern kitchen and large windows that showed a snow covered mountain view.

Shaking the snow off her hair, Penelope shivered slightly. "Are you saying Emily isn't here? Is she even coming?"

"Sweetheart, we've been had."

Hearing him call her sweetheart only reminded her that it was rare and far between these days for them to flirt and tease each other the way they used to. She knew it was totally hypocritical of her to be pissed at him for hooking up with Tamara Barnes and that he hadn't really lied to her about it but only kept it on the down low. It was his business who he fell for after all.

But it still bugged the hell out of Penelope that Derek had acted the way he did with that women. She had seen something in his behavior, in his tone, in his eyes that was different with Tamara than it had been with any of Derek's many conquests over the years and that had bothered her deeply. Maybe it was just the idea that he would fall in love and things between the two of them would inevitably have to change- even more drastically then it had when she started to date Kevin- or maybe it was the fact that, deep down inside, Penelope had wanted to be the one Derek fell for when he finally gave up his player card.

Whatever it was, she hadn't taken it well that he got involved with Tamara and things had been tense between them for months now. They were still friends but it just wasn't the same fun, flirty, dirty, sweet, sensual vibe that they always had before.

She missed it but she wasn't sure how to get it back or even if it was healthy to want it back. The therapist that she started to see two years before- after she was shot- had told her that it was important to focus on things Penelope could have instead of fantasies and dreams that would never come true. That it was only fear and insecurity that kept Penelope from living her life to her full potential. Those words had pushed Penelope to give Kevin a chance and for a while they had been okay...just_ okay_, though. Lord knows that their relationship never set the world on fire with its heat but it had been comfortable enough for a time being. Until Kevin dumped Penelope two weeks before Thanksgiving.

It was a horrible time of year to be single. Especially when Penelope didn't keep in touch with much of her family- including her often cruel tongued birth father and her still bitter over the past step-brothers.

Even though spending a weekend in a cabin in the woods didn't seem like the ideal Christmas get-away spot to Penelope, she had been glad to have somewhere to go and someone who wanted to spend it with her. Except now she realized she never had that.

That Emily had played her.

Tears welled in Penelope's eyes. "I'm gonna kick her rear for this! What in the hell could she have been thinking to send me up here to crash your plans? Oh my God, please tell me that you're here alone? Frick! I have to get out of here! Back into the snow I go! Esther, don't fail me now! Mama needs you to turn into Santa's sleigh and whisk me home!"

Penelope grabbed her suitcase and Derek grabbed it too. She yanked it away from him and pulled open the door but he pushed the door closed, standing with his chest against her back, and told her, in no uncertain terms, "Woman, you ain't going anywhere. It's working up to being a blizzard out there. Face it, you're stuck with me at least till morning. Sorry to disappoint you."

She slowly turned around. "No, I'm sorry to interrupt your plans."

He shrugged a shoulder. "Stuff happens."

She looked around, trying to see if there was any sign of another person there, before she asked "Are you sure this is okay? I could try to call a cab or something if you're worried about me driving down the mountain in the snowstorm." She dug in her purse and got out her phone. "Is there even cell reception up here?"

"Iffy at best and, hate to break it to ya, but cabs don't come up here."

"Up here to the uber creepy, spooky, backwoods bone yard? This is the kind of place unsubs bury people, isn't it?"

He chuckled slightly. "Sometimes. But don't worry, I'll protect you."

She sighed. "Why would Emily do this to us?"

Rolling his eyes, he asked "Can't you guess?"

"She wants us to make up? Not that we're really fighting but things have been a little tense lately, I suppose."

"Yeah, I'd say she wants us to _kiss_ and make-up."

Garcia swallowed hard. "I really should probably go."

"Too late for that now. I get that you wouldn't have come up here if you thought you were getting me instead of Emily but you're stuck with me so lets just make the best of it, all right?"

"It's not just that _I'm_ stuck with you. It's that _you're _stuck with me."

His lips curved into devilish grin. "Makes me one lucky boy."


	2. Chapter 2

**Stranded for Christmas**

**Morgan and Garcia**

**December 2009**

**Chapter Two**

Penelope found herself staring up into Derek's dark eyes after he said "Makes me one lucky boy," as they stood just inside the door of the cabin he had rented to spend the Christmas holidays.

Wetting her lips, she forced herself to break their eye contact and went back to focusing on the phone that was in her hand, trying to dial the culprit who had tricked her into coming up to this cabin and crashing Derek's plans to chill out alone.

"Come on, signal. You can do it. Just give mama one little bar so I can ream Emily out the likes of which she has never known before! You do not mess with a Cyber Goddess and live to tell the tale! If I was not so fond of her I would banish her credit to the darkest realms of ruin for this little trick!"

"Baby girl, chill out," Derek said, his voice deep and much more relaxed than hers, as his hand covered hers, to stop her from messing with her phone anymore.

Her eyes moved from his hand up his arm to his face.

Penelope went back to studying him intently. Over the last five minutes, since she showed up on his doorstep, he had used more endearments for her than he had used in the previous three months. And he had quickly gotten over his shock at being set up by Emily and his annoyance at the change of plans.

He seemed rather okay with it already, while Penelope was struggling to still make sense of it all.

She titled her head to the side, as a niggling thought took shape in her mind. "You didn't help Emily hatch this plan, did you? And you're just playing dumb so that I will keep my pride about having no where to go on Christmas. That's so sweet of you, Derek, really but I don't need your charity or your protection just because I got dumped right before the holidays and I would really rather prefer that you didn't try to save me because I'm not a victim. Got it?"

"Whoa, slow down. You," he waggled his head at her "being here," he used his hand to motion "is as big of a surprise to me as Emily not being here is to you. I wanted to get away from everyone, not entertain, even if it is you, but I'm gonna roll with the punches cause" he glanced out the window "it don't look like mother nature is giving us a whole lotta choices. Besides, you're all the way here already. Will it really be so bad to spend the night with me? You're free to head back down the mountain in the morning and hunt Emily down for payback. Me, I plan to enjoy this cabin that cost me a week's salary and do what I came here to do...get my head on straight again."

Worry filled her eyes. "Being acting unit chief is putting a lot of stress on your shoulders, isn't it?"

He sighed. "You could say that. I don't know how Hotch has been handling all that comes with that job for all these years but he can gladly have it back anytime he wants it."

Thinking about how their boss- and friend- was suffering after his ex-wife was murdered, Penelope whispered "I don't know how the boss man can go back to status quo after all that happened. He lost the love of his life. You don't just get over that."

"No," Derek ground out, before walking away from her "you don't ever get over something like that."

The way he spoke made it sound like he had personal experience with it. Penelope's heart clenched. For as well as she knew Derek there was still so much she didn't know about him. For instance, who was the woman who had broken his heart all those years ago, before she met him, and sent him on the road to being a player? More importantly, would he ever learn to trust a woman with his heart again? And when? And would Penelope be strong enough to be happy for him when that day came and it wasn't her who was the one that he took that leap of faith for?

For years she had a crush on her handsome best friend but she knew it was hopeless. A lot of flirting, being there for each other on and off the job, and being buddies didn't equal love. A long time ago she thought it might but now she knew better. Better than to believe in fairytales where Derek Morgan was concerned.

After a moment he waved his arm to motion toward a hall way and said "Lucky for you, princess, this place has two bedrooms. You look chilled to the bone. Why don't you go get changed and I'll make us some hot toddies?"

"Put an extra shot in mine," she said, before heading down the hall.

She had a feeling she would be needing the liquid courage to handle spending the rest of the evening all alone with Derek when things had been so testy between them in recent months. The tension had been more on her part than his, if she was honest with herself, but now that so much had changed- Kevin nor Tamara were an issue anymore, and the horror of Haley Hotchner dying had saddened and angered the whole team, making petty issues seem small in comparison- maybe it was time to turn a page between her and Derek. For her to let the whole thing with him hooking up with a victim's brother go. It hadn't been right and it had ticked her off but what was done was done. He had gotten out of it quickly, realizing his mistake.

Besides it was_ his_ love life. Not her business. She was just a friend. Emily may have thought that sending Penelope up to the cabin would give the sparks between her and Derek a chance to ignite but Penelope knew better.

They had plenty of chances before tonight. If things were gonna get hot between them they would have a long time ago.

It just wasn't meant to be.

XXXXXXXXXX

Derek rested his hands on the counter top in the kitchen of the cabin, hung his head and let out a few deep breaths. He had come up here to get away from the drama but it seemed to have followed him in the form of his quirky, gorgeous, curvaceous, funny, flirty, stubborn and scared as hell of going _there _best friend.

How was he supposed to put his inconvenient feelings for her behind when she was right there in his face this evening?

Emily had some nerve setting this whole thing up. Derek could understand why she would pull something like this- trying to help him and Penelope get where they couldn't seem to get without a firm push from someone or something- but it didn't make it okay for her to do. Penelope had only been single for a month and she wasn't over Lynch. She still gave him moony eyes in the hallway when they passed each other and let out broken hearted sighs when she saw him with the tech he had left her for.

Derek wished she would get pissed at Lynch for being dumb and ignorant enough to pick another woman over her but it seemed like she was too sweet for that. Penelope blamed herself for losing Lynch, not Lynch for letting her go. It frustrated the hell out of Derek.

He would never_ get_ that relationship. But he accepted a long time ago it had been what Penelope wanted and it had made her reasonably happy for a time, which had been enough to make him keep his mouth shut.

It was ironic that just when he had started to get over the idea of him and Penelope becoming more than friends, that's when things blew up with her and Lynch. Derek hated the way things worked out sometimes. He had been letting it go finally...freeing himself from the hurt, disappointment and pain...just to have to all flare up again the moment she told him that it was over between her and Lynch.

Stupidly, Derek's heart didn't get what the term 'lost cause' meant.

"Hey, handsome," came a soft voice from near the hallway.

Derek looked up to see Penelope, slightly damp from a shower, standing there wearing a fluffy purple cotton robe. An unwelcome flare of lust whipped through his gut as their eyes met and held. On any day of the week he found her gorgeous but there was something even hotter about seeing her in private moments: just falling asleep or just waking up, or right after a shower or bath.

Something intimate and even hotter than usual.

"Hey there, beautiful," he said in a throaty voice before shaking himself out of his daze and adding "Hot toddy coming your way."

She walked over to the other side of the island counter. "I really am sorry about busting in on your vacation."

"Don't sweat it." He went about making the drinks.

"Did you really want to spend Christmas all alone up here or is some hot, young, sexy Ms. Thang gonna be showing up any minute now?"

"There's no Ms. Thang in my life but you," he said, before wishing he could take back the words.

He didn't like seeming so into her when she obviously just liked playing a flirty game with him. He liked the game too but a while ago the game had stopped being enough for him.

She smiled slightly. "Maybe this is fate stepping in then..."

_Everything happens for a reason_, went through his mind, words Penelope lived by- for better or worse.

Derek raised an eyebrow.

She went on "Saving us from ourselves and our plans of going it alone...for the holiday."

"You gonna stick around past the morning and celebrate it with me?"

"Is that a real invitation or a pity one? Would you even tell me if you really wanted to be by yourself?"

"Trust me, I'd tell you."

"In that case...if you're offering..."

"I'm offering."

"Then I'm yours."

He couldn't help but grin as he handed her the drink. "Mmmmm, that just might be the best thing those pretty, plump lips of yours ever said to me."


	3. Chapter 3

**Stranded for Christmas**

**Morgan and Garcia**

**December 2009**

**Chapter Three**

"Thank God this place has all the modern conveniences," Penelope said to Derek, as she tossed her clothes into the washer**. **Her suitcase had accidently dumped onto the wet, muddy snow earlier and now most of her clothes were a mess**. "**Is this the first time you've rented a cabin like this or do you have a whole secret life of being a woodsmen that I know nothing about?**"**

"No, nothing like that. I rented this place because I just wanted to get away from the city for the holidays. Emily happened to see me checking out the website and that's how she knew what cabin I'd be at."

Putting some laundry soap in the machine, Penelope set in and then asked Derek "Do you think that our stuff is affecting the rest of the team?"

"Our stuff?"

"Come on, you know what I mean. Don't make me say it."

He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the dryer. "Well, I don't read minds, mama, so you're gonna have to cough it up."

Speaking fast, as she did when she was nervous or uncomfortable, Penelope answered "I just think things have been a little weird between us ever since I confronted you about Ms. Barnes and I realize now that it was really none of my business and I regret ever saying anything but you know I had to say something because I'll always have your back and if I see you doing something questionable I'm gonna say something. But I didn't want it to mess us up. And don't say it didn't because it so did."

He sighed. "It wasn't that..."

She gave him a disbelieving look.

He said "If I was distant it was because I had a lot on my plate and a lot on my mind, that's all. We're cool, just like we've always been, so stop worrying your pretty little head."

"I don't know. I just feel like something has changed between us and I hate it."

Softly, he said "Change ain't always a bad thing, you know."

"It always has been in my life. The first big change was when my real Dad up and left my mom and then I didn't see him for a long time after that and when I did it always seemed like I wasn't quite what he had in mind for a daughter. When I never remembered him being that way before the divorce. He changed and I hated it. And then the next big change was when my parents died and that was the worse day of my life. Next big change, I was arrested for hacking into the CIA-"

"Okay, okay, I get it. You hate change. But you're conveniently forgetting the good changes: like when your mom met your step father or when you learned to hack or when you realized you could take care of yourself after your parents died and that led to you becoming the strong, hard headed, Goddess that I know now. Change can be a good thing, baby girl."

"I just don't want anything to change between us. I love us being the super cool, unlikely but uber awesome, best buddy duo of Morgan and Garcia."

He chuckled and smiled a little. "Stop worrying so much. You can't get rid of me that easily."

She smiled back. "I'm just gonna keep my mouth shut about your love life from now on."

He gave her a look that said 'Yeah, right,' and she huffed "What? I can do that! You'll see!"

He laughed. "Right. Okay. Well I guess you'll show me."

"I will." She made a motion over her lips like she was locking them and then she pretended to throw away the key.

"My love life is pretty dead these days so I don't think it will be much of a problem no time soon."

She couldn't stop the small smile that curved her lips before she said "Oh, that's too bad, really. So sorry to hear that."

"Come on, silly girl, lets go rustle up some dinner. I don't know about you but my stomach is growling."

"Let me make you dinner. To make up for crashing your get-away. You go watch some tv and relax."

"I'd rather watch you. You know you're my favorite show."

She blushed slightly. "As you are mine, Hot Stuff."

XXXXXXXXX

After having a dinner of pasta and a few glasses of wine, Derek made a fire and they sat on the couch.

Looking out the window, at all the falling snow, Penelope said "It's really beautiful, even if it is a bitch to drive in."

"I thought you're not a fan of winter, Miss California Girl?"

"I'm not but I've come to appreciate a white Christmas, like in the song."

"If it doesn't let up we could get snowed in and then Hotch will be wondering where we are come Monday morning."

"The _liar, liar pants on fire _can clue him in."

Derek chuckled. "Come on now, you're not still mad at Prentiss, are ya?"

"Girl code says you don't do stuff like this. I'll pay her back one day."

Derek rolled his eyes. "Is it that bad being stuck here with me?"

"Oh, baby, I'm not saying that at all-"

"Good," he murmured "because there is no one else I would rather be snowed in with." He crooked his finger at her. "Come here."

She scooted closer to him and he wrapped his arm around her back, as she laid her head on his shoulder. He started to play with her hair.

"Mmm," Derek said "I really needed this after the last few months."

"Me too. I missed you."

"I never went anywhere."

"It felt like you did though."

"I would never disappear on you, Penelope. Not on purpose. I just get stressed out and I shut down but don't ever think I'm trying to shut you out."

"And I'll never shut you out, either. Maybe our friendship is too co-dependent but I don't care. I love it and I won't give it up no matter who says I should."

Lifting his head, he looked into her eyes. "Whoa, who says you should?"

"Kevin, my therapist, JJ. Oops. Don't tell Jayje I said that."

"Hmpf. What the hell is up with those people? What's their problem with our friendship? I can kinda get Lynch but your therapist don't even know me and JJ...I thought she likes me."

"She does like you. You're like a brother to her. She just thinks I'm too obsessed...okay, bad word...I'm too _reliant_ on you and that's not healthy for me. But I don't care if I am because you're the only guy I've ever known who makes me feel safe but not bored. Usually the safe guys are the dull ones and the bad boys are the dangerous ones but you're a mix of a bad boy- with your motorcycle and your tattoos- who is really good on the inside and who I know will always look out for me and, bonus, makes me feel sexier than anyone else ever has before. So even if people say I should give you up, I'm never gonna."

His eyes searched hers for a long moment before he whispered "Good."

She rested her head back on his shoulder and let out a happy sigh. "Wanna see what Christmas movies are on?"

"Sure."


	4. Chapter 4

**Stranded for Christmas**

**Morgan and Garcia**

**December 2009**

**Chapter Four**

Penelope had fallen asleep on the couch, in Derek's arms. She woke up to hear him humming Christmas tunes as he rustled around the kitchen**.** The smell of fresh brewing coffee filled the air.

Sitting up on the couch, she watched him flipping a pancake. He seemed in a much better mood with lighter spirit than he had for the last few months.

Smiling, she greeted him "Morning, handsome. You cooking up a Christmas feast?"

"Working on it, sleepy head."

"You know I always sleep good in your arms. You can't blame my sleeping in on me when it was your strong, muscular, beef cake bod that lulled me into such a restful haze."

"I'm flattered, I think."

She chuckled. "Oh, trust me, it is a compliment."

"If I was really _all that _you wouldn't get a wink of sleep, woman," he flirted.

She blushed as she stood up, adjusting her purple robe over her pajamas, which had pictures of reindeer on them. "If not for the firm line of friendship between us I'm sure I'd find out you are all that and much, much more."

With that said, she headed off for the bathroom to freshen up.

XXXXXXXX

"So any plans on our agenda today?" Penelope asked, as they ate breakfast. "I don't suppose the road is clear?"

"Afraid not but it's not snowing anymore so I was thinking we could slap on the snow shoes in the hall closet and go for a walk."

"Snow shoes? I don't suppose they have glitter on them, huh?"

He chuckled. "You're out of luck with that. They're made for utility, not fashion."

"Walking out in the creepy woods?"

"I brought my gun but I don't think we've gonna come by any unsubs. Maybe a deer or two, that's all."

"I can handle a cute little deer, I guess."

Brushing a finger over her nose, he said "Cool." After a moment, Derek added "I'm really glad you're here, baby girl."

Her eyes lit up. "Me, too."

XXXXXXXXXX

A couple of hours later, Derek and Penelope had made it to a bluff that overlooked a gorge in the mountain.

"This is really beautiful," she said.

"Wow," he said, staring out at the scenery before them.

"I wish I brought my camera."

"You don't need a camera if you keep this moment in your heart forever, just like I will."

She looked up and into his eyes. Their gazes locked. It seemed like he was leaning down closer to her and she started to lean up but then a rustling in the woods spooked Penelope and she jumped slightly, looking that way.

There was a deer running away from them through the snowy foliage.

"Just a deer," Derek murmured.

"Scared the crap out of me," Penelope complained.

"Come on, lets head back. I've got a good idea for how we can warm up."

"I hope you're thinking about hot chocolate with lots of whipped cream."

"Better."

"Better? I doubt it. You know how I feel about_ chocolate_."

XXXXXXXXXX

Derek led Penelope to the master suite and motioned at the corner of the room. "Now tell me that ain't better than hot chocolate? And there's plenty of room for two."

Looking at the tub, she asked "You wanna take a bath together?"

"No, silly. It's a Jacuzzi."

"Oh. Um, I didn't bring a bathing suit but you feel free to indulge, Hot Stuff."

"Garcia, it's me. You don't _need _a bathing suit."

She arched an eyebrow at him.

He said "Besides, a bra and panty is just like a bikini."

"Ha."

"Fine. Wear a shirt over it. Come on. We're on vacation. Let loose a little."

"I don't know..."

He gave her puppy dog eyes and she caved, adding "Oh, all right. But I'm gonna need some wine!"

"Coming right up," Derek said, leaving the room to go pour them some drinks.

XXXXXXXXX

Penelope finished putting her hair in a ponytail, as she stood in the master bathroom, and then looked down at her bra and panty set: red satin with hints of lace. She had borrowed a black t-shirt from Derek to put over it.

Sliding that t-shirt on, she let out a sigh. It certainly would be nice if she felt like she didn't need the shirt but they were just friends and she wasn't exactly an exhibitionist so the shirt was a must. Slipping out of the bathroom she didn't make it two steps before she froze in her tracks and gulped at the sight before her. Derek was sitting on the edge of the Jacuzzi, his back to the wall, decked out in a pair of blue shorts.

It was obvious he had sat in the tub already before getting back out because his shorts were dripping wet and plastered to his body.

She had seen him before without a shirt on- the image had certainly sped up her heart and left her mouth watering- but there was something even more enticing about the way he looked now with water droplets sliding down his firmly chiseled abs and pecs, leaving her momentarily speechless and stunned.

"Mmm, errr," she mumbled, losing her train of thought "Morgan..."

"Yes, sweet angel?" His eyebrow cocked up.

"Is it hot?" she asked, just spitting out the first thought that came to her fuzzy mind.

He dipped a finger in the water. "Pretty hot. You ain't afraid of a little heat, are you, Garcia?"

Crooking his finger at her, he motioned her closer. She shuffled over to the tub and hesitantly crawled onto the opposite side from him.

Derek asked "Never been in one of these?"

"I have but just not with a hunk of man meat like yourself. You could send a woman in perfect health to the emergency room from stroking out at the sight of you."

Smiling, Derek slipped into the tub. "Your turn."

She slowly slipped down into the scorching water, trying hard to not brush against him but her foot momentarily touched his leg, sending waves of pleasure pulsating through her at the feel of his hair roughened skin, taut with muscles.

Reaching for the bottle of wine, she quickly poured herself a glass and gulped it down.

Derek asked "You okay there, Garcia?"

"Yeah, fine, absolutely uber fine. I just need to keep reminding myself that you're just my good friend, Derek, the same as yesterday and the day before, and there is no more reason to jump your bones right now than there was then...just because you're dripping wet...mmmm."

"Well if I had known that all it would take was me being dripping wet then I would have gotten wet in front of you a long time ago."

She quickly poured another glass of wine and downed it. When she went for a third, Derek stopped her, putting his hand over hers and taking the bottle away from her.

Murmuring, he told her "Relax."

She lay her head back and closed her eyes.

Derek said "Much better," as he got comfortable on his side of the tub. "Now this is more like it. I really needed this after the last few months. Every time I would think it couldn't get worse...it did."

"I know what you mean. Everything fell apart all around me, too." Emotion clouded her voice as she recalled the way she had been struggling lately- with Kevin dumping her for someone else, Derek messing around with Tamara and their boss' wife, Haley, being murdered.

"Let it go, baby girl," Derek said, in a soothing and comforting way. "The future is what we make it, right?"

"Right."

They spent the better part of an hour soaking, and talking, before Penelope said "The heat is getting to me so I think I'm gonna get out."

She stood up and so did Derek. As she was gaping at his body, he got out, grabbed a towel and reached for her hand, helping her out and then gently wrapped the towel around her. The moment sizzled with an ever growing tension as she felt his hands adjust the towel to hold it up, tucking it in over her breasts.

Her hands focused on his hands until he was done and then she looked up and into his eyes. His eyes seemed darker than ever and, for a moment, she even believed they were just as filled with want and need as her thobbing body was.

Sucking in a quick breath, she moved around him. "Mind if I use your shower?"

"Go for it," he said.

"Thank you so much, you mocha God of goodness." She slipped into the bathroom and leaned her back against the door, breathing hard and fast, knowing she had been close to throwing herself at him and reminding herself that all she would do was embarrass herself if she did that.

Derek Morgan had always been hot and he would forever be hot. As his friend she could appreciate that but it wouldn't be right to make him uncomfortable by trying to throw herself at him...even though the bed had been just a few feet away and plenty of thoughts of how good it would feel to have him toss her on there had been clogging up her brain during their time in the Jacuzzi.

It was okay to think about it but she had to use all her willpower to not go there.

"He's just a friend," she whispered to herself. "Just a friend, Garci. Just a friend."


	5. Chapter 5

**Note- Thank you to all the reviewers of this fic! There will be one more chapter after this one. Happy Holidays everyone.**

**Stranded for Christmas**

**Morgan and Garcia**

**December 2009**

**Chapter Five**

Penelope tossed and turned all Saturday night. She didn't spend it sleeping in Derek's arms on the couch, like she had been the night before. Instead she was in the second bedroom all by herself.

The rest of the last night, after they had soaked in the Jacuzzi, had held a strange, uncomfortable tension between her and Derek. They had played cards, ate snacks, listened to Christmas carols and tried joking around but he called it a night early, leaving her wondering if she had broadcast too loudly and obviously her lust for him while they had been in the Jacuzzi and if she had made him feel weird.

Sure, they flirted all the time- though not as much in the last few months- but flirting over the safety of a phone or while they were in a work setting surrounded by other agents was a hell of a lot different than flirting with your dripping wet clothes plastered to your body while in a bedroom.

Waking up that morning, she was determined that this last day they spent at the cabin would be filled with light hearted fun, firmly getting their friendship back to a good place before they headed home to Quantico and work on Monday.

After a quick stop in the bathroom to freshen up, Penelope wandered to the kitchen and living area of the cabin, looking for Derek. She had noticed his bedroom door open so she knew he wasn't in there. The quietness of the cabin, as she walked down the hall, made her wonder if he was inside at all...and when she reached the living room she saw that in fact that room was empty.

Her eyes focused on a piece of paper that was on the coffee table, folded so it bent and stood up, with her name written on it. For a brief moment she feared he had decided to go home while she was sleeping.

She went over, picked it up, and read a message from Derek saying he had gone jogging.

Shivering slightly, she said "Jogging in this weather. What a health nut."

She walked over to the kitchen area to make herself some coffee and that is when Derek came hobbling in, limping on one foot.

"Oh no!" Penelope gasped. "What happened?"

"It's nothing," he said, wincing a little. "Just tripped over a log and I think twisted something."

She went over to him and insisted on helping him to the couch, even though he kept saying he was good and didn't need help, that he would "Walk it off."

After getting him sat down, she gently removed his gloves, hat and coat and then started on his shoes.

"Garcia, really, baby, you don't gotta..."

"Hush. Let mama take care of you." She got the boot off and then lightly fingered his ankle. "Hmmm, it doesn't seem swollen."

"It's my knee."

Her gaze shot up as worry stuck her. "The same one you hurt in college playing football?"

"Yeah, but don't worry about it. I tweak it sometimes. I just need to rest it for a while. I'm sorry about messing up our last day here."

"Shh. Don't even mention it. All that matters is that you're okay."

Their eyes held for a long moment before she said "I have some pain relievers in my purse. Hold on and I'll get you a couple."

When she came back, she handed them to him with a glass of water, and then asked "What were you thinking going out running up here with all that snow on the ground?"

"You know it's how I blow off steam. But you're right, it was stupid of me."

Penelope propped up Derek's hurt leg.

He said "Thank you, baby girl. I'm really sorry about this and I'm gonna make it up to you one day, trust me on that."

She gently caressed his chest, something she did every once in a while when she was either flirting with him or telling him something intimate. "This weekend was amazing for me. You don't have a thing to make up to me. If not for being here with you then I would have spent the holidays alone wondering why my life was so screwed up that no one wanted to spend Christmas with me."

"I guess we have Emily to thank for us spending Christmas together."

Penelope smiled slightly. "At least we can tell her that we made up."

"Yeah, but we didn't _kiss_ and make up," he teasingly grumbled.

Penelope leaned over and pressed a tender kiss to his cheek. His hand rose to caress her back as she did so. She sat back up and said "There, now it's official."

Derek gave her a sweet but somewhat pained smile.

She said "I was just about to make some coffee. Want a cup?"

"Sure. Sounds great, sweetheart."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

They sat on the couch, sipping their coffee and chatting. Penelope said "This really has been the best Christmas I've had in a long time. Even if it didn't have all the usual Christmas fixings like a tree. I went with Kevin to his family's house last year and I just felt like such an outsider. But here, with my main man, it feels cozy and right."

He reached out and placed his hand over hers, caressing it. "I couldn't agree more. I just wanted to get away from everyone this year but I'm glad I didn't end up moping around up here alone." His eyes held hers for a long moment before he added "You brighten up my world so much, angel. You truly do and I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost that."

"You never will."

"Oh, I don't know about all that. For a while there I thought you were gonna let Lynch take my spot in your heart."

"Kevin was my boyfriend, sure, but that doesn't affect us. We're in a whole other category."

"A whole other category, huh?" he murmured, moving his other hand up to brush her hair away from her face, before softly smiling. "I don't exactly know what that means but if it means you'll always be in my life then I'll take it."

Their eyes held and once again Derek felt that familiar sexual tension and aching deep seated want flare up between them. Swallowing hard, forgetting about the few times before this weekend when it felt like they were about to kiss and it didn't happen, he shifted forward. Gently caressing her face, he leaned in toward her lips.

But just then her cell phone chirped and Penelope jumped back. She picked her phone off the coffee table.

"Wow! I got service again," she excitedly cried, her voice breathy. "It must be because the storm passed. Or else God is just smiling down on this goddess. I have quite the backlog of texts to get through. Excuse me, handsome."

She hurried away, leaving Derek to sigh heavily and collapse back upon the cushions of the couch, stifling a frustrated groan. Despite years of close moments with Penelope, it always ended without going anywhere physical and yet he found himself, time after time, drawn to her in that way.

When would he learn to let just friends be enough so his heart could stop hurting over that frustrating, hard headed woman? Deep down inside, Derek felt like they could be out of this world together, and change everything he had ever known about love, sex, commitment and happiness but he also felt like she was too scared of the unknown to go there.

She liked them just being buddies. She needed and wanted him to stay in a safe box in her life. And he needed to give her what she needed most...even if it left him lonely and missing out on what could have been the most beautiful moments of his life...moments being allowed to show her his love in a every way.

He'd have to settle for showing her his love in the way she'd let him. It was better than not showing her at all.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Penelope slipped into her bedroom. Her hands were shaking. For a moment there it had really felt like Derek was about to kiss her but then her phone had chirped, breaking the moment, and she bolted away.

Trying to calm her racing heart and catch her breath, she pressed a hand over her heart.

"Just a friend. Just a friend," she muttered to herself again.

A part of her was angry at herself for chickening out of that moment with Derek, for not believing in herself that she was just the kind of woman he would want to kiss, for believing she was imagining things and that it was sane for her to want him but insane to believe he would want her back. Her low self esteem haunted her every day of her life and no amount of bright clothes, hair dye, make up and accessories could overcome the cruel taunts circling around her own head that she was not enough for a man like him.

Shaking her head, to try to break herself out of the funk she was in as her thoughts bombarded her with the same old, very common refrain that she had thought since the day she met Derek, the same thing she went through every time they got close and it felt like they may cross a line, Penelope looked down at her phone and started to read her text messages.

"Lets see if Emily has anything to say for herself," she muttered.

One of the first texts she came along wasn't from Emily though. It was from Derek and was sent on Friday afternoon, before she made it to the cabin. It read:

_Yo, it's your baby boy. Going out of town for the weekend. Just need to recharge my batteries. Merry Christmas, baby girl. I don't say it enough but I hope you know how much having you in my life means to me. No matter how things change I can't ever imagine not needing you just as much as I do right now. The darkest days are brighter with you around to remind me to smile. It's been rough lately and a lot is changing in both our lives. Maybe it has to change and that's not a bad thing. With the new year coming up, I can only hope next year is a hell of a lot better than this one. Whatever goes down, just know that even if it seems like I'm stuck in my head and not talking to you, I need you and that much will never change, no matter what else does. I love you, silly girl_.

Touched by the emotions in his words, she left the bedroom and walked back to the living room, with slight tears in her eyes, still clutching her phone.

"I love you too, Derek Morgan," Penelope declared loudly before marching over to the couch and laying a kiss on him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Stranded for Christmas**

**Morgan and Garcia**

**Note- **_The tone of this story is simple and sweet, like a TV Christmas movie, so I won't be writing a love scene for this chapter_**.**

**December 2009**

**Chapter Six**

Just when Derek had been trying to once again convince his heart to give up on any romantic notions it had about Penelope Garcia, she marched into the living room of the cabin, seemingly suddenly overcome with emotion and loudly proclaimed "I love you too, Derek Morgan," before coming over to the couch, kneeling next to him, wrapping her hand around the back of his neck and pulling his mouth up to hers for a soft, but intense locking of lips.

Even though he was in his late thirties, when he was around her he felt like a teenager again. Every look between them meant so much; every touch sent electric charges careening though his body; every time they spoke on the phone his heart soared; whenever they flirted he was left speechless and aching for her.

And, also like a teenager, he always hesitated to make a move on her. But that didn't mean he hadn't leaned in to try to kiss her before. Plenty of times he had tried to go there but she often gave him a cheek or else made it into a hug or, in the most intense moments, just ran away from him, leaving him to remind himself that even though plenty of other women wanted him in that way, Penelope was more comfortable just being buddies with him.

It was a hard lesson to ever learn. Especially when her beautiful dark eyes and plump, glossy lips drew him in time after time, not to mention her curves let his mouth watering and her dirty word laced flirting and mastery of innuendo sent him off the charts with wanting.

But wanting is all he had ever been able to do until this very moment when she finally decided to cross that line.

All too soon, she pulled back, leaving him panting breathlessly, in shock. He whispered her name. "Penelope...?"

"I got your text, from Friday, and I don't know...it just touched me and I just...I hope that was okay."

"Okay?" he choked out.

"It was just a friendly Christmas kiss!" she blurted out.

He arched an eyebrow and pulled her into his arms, against his chest, ignoring the aching in knee, from where he pulled a muscle while out jogging that morning. "Woman, it needs to be Christmas everyday for us then," he murmured, as his lips hovered just the barest inch from hers.

He felt her relief at his words and that was all the go-ahead signal he needed before crashing his mouth down onto hers. He had come up to this cabin this weekend to put away the last of his feelings for her, believing that even though she was single now she still wouldn't want to change their status from just friends, but now he was more caught up in his desire for her...for them to be everything to each other...than ever before.

And he planned to show her that so there were no more doubts left in her mind of how much she owned his heart...so if she didn't want a relationship with him she would at least know all that she had given up in the name of being just friends.

Once he too had thought just friends would be enough but long ago his heart had told him that just friends was just a tease of all they could be, and just a way to leave him lonely...aching for the love only she could give him.

Getting lost in the sweet taste of her lips, Derek moaned against Penelope's lips, and tightened his grip around her soft, curve packed body, wanting this moment to never end.

XXXXXXXXXX

Penelope's lips had curved into a smile when Derek declared "Woman, it needs to be Christmas everyday for us then," right before he pressed his lips against hers.

She had been nervous that the kiss she impulsively gave to him moments before would somehow be unwanted- even if all the signs for so long pointed in the other direction- and when he said those words she knew that he did indeed want her badly. It made her heart soar and fill with even more want, need, lust and love for him, as she finally let her stubborn mind believe that Derek Morgan was a man she could have as much more than _just a friend_.

Wrapped up in the smell, taste and feel of Derek, Penelope got lost in his kiss, and found herself sliding down to rest on the couch next to him, still wrapped tight in his arms, when their kiss broke apart a long moment later.

Her eyes slowly opened and she found him staring at her with a tender smile on his lips. In his gaze, she could see nothing but love and excitement, which was echoed in her mind, body and spirit for him.

She caressed his cheek. "Christmas every day. I think I could get used to that."

He gently kissed her again. "Well worth the long, long, oh so long and torturous, five years of being buddies, wait. But you do know we got a lot of time to make up for, right?"

She giggled. "I'm up to the challenge if you are."

"Bring it on, baby girl," Derek said, with a slight growl to his tone, as he moved in for another kiss.

After a moment she jerked away.

"What's the matter? Is this all going too fast for you?" he asked, worriedly. "We can slow it down, okay?"

"Too fast? You just try to keep up, tiger."

He chuckled.

She said "I was just wondering if your knee is up for this."

"My knee is in heaven, just like the rest of me. Don't you know how long I've been waiting for this...for you? Feels like all my life but really it's only been five wonderful but frustrating long years of being stuck in the friend zone with you. Now that I'm out, I plan to fully enjoy every second it."

In that moment she truly believed his words about wanting her all along, though she felt that like her his feelings had grown as time went on, changed and rearranged and deepened with time. Though just like him she had wanted him, in some way, shape or form, all along.

And now he was offering her everything she had dreamt about, everything she had come to think she could never have for her own because...she wasn't enough for him. The look in his eye at this moment told her she was enough. In fact, it told her she was everything to this man.

She had never felt more loved in all her life. Finally her insecurities started to die and she let herself get lost in the feelings that were swirling around them in that moment, the feeling that they were turning a corner that would take them to the beautiful, filled with love, rest of their lives together.

Caressing his cheek, she said "I've been wanting this forever too," before she gently brought her lips back to his.

Outside the snow started to fall again, ensuring they wouldn't make it home that night for work in the morning. The mountain roads would soon become impassable.

They would just have to enjoy one more night at the cabin. But tonight they surely would not spend in different rooms, but instead wrapped up in each other's loving arms.

XXXXXXXXX

On Tuesday morning, Derek walked into the bullpen of the BAU and spotted Emily and Reid near their desks. He walked over to them and gave Emily a harsh, hard look before saying "I can not believe you pulled that on me and Garcia, Prentiss."

She nervously said "Um...sorry? Come on! I was just hoping it would be what you two needed. I didn't mean to piss you off. I promise I'm not gonna get between you two again. Is PG really mad?"

Reid noticed Penelope coming into the bullpen. "I'd say we're going to find out in approximately seventeen point three seconds."

Penelope walked over to them. Her eyes quickly moved up and down Derek before she spun on her heel and pointed her finger at Emily. "How dare you, missy!"

"I'm really sorry, Garcia. I know it was kinda out of line-" Emily started.

"For that little stunt," Penelope said "you've earned yourself..." then she smiled "a spot as my bridesmaid, one day to be determined in the hopefully not too distant future!"

She hugged a shocked Emily. A grin curved Derek's lips and he chuckled.

Reid looked confused. "What is she talking about? Garcia is engaged to Lynch? I thought they broke up and he's seeing-"

Morgan said "Bite your tongue, kid. She's done being with anyone but yours truly."

His eyes lovingly caressed her, as she pulled out of her hug with Emily and turned to look at him, catching his gaze.

Emily asked "Wait a minute, so it all worked out? I knew it! I knew all you two needed was a little alone time. Reid is not the only genus around here. Now if only I could be as smart about my own sex life."

Morgan put his arm around Garcia's waist. "I guess I owe you a thank you, Prentiss," he said, warmly. "I will never be able to pay you back for what you put in motion last weekend."

Reid asked "What did she do? I'm lost."

Morgan said "It don't matter what she did, all that matters is that it worked." He looked down and into Penelope's eyes. "And next Christmas no one is gonna have to set it up so that we're together...never again. I think we can take it from here, right, baby girl?"

"We can take it all the way, my love," she answered.

Emily made a gagging sound before saying "Okay, okay, I'm happy for you but let's keep the lovey dovey moments to a minimum. It's not even nine am yet, people."

"As long as I'm unit chief," Morgan said "you're safe, Prentiss, but the moment Hotch takes his job back there are gonna be some big changes around here."

Penelope gazed into his eyes with a sweet, loved filled look in her eye. "We've waited five years already. What is a little while longer before we can make it official?"

Reid asked "You're really already talking about marriage? Are you two pulling our legs?"

Derek chuckled. "When you know, you know, kid. You'll see one day, if you're as lucky as me."

"As us," Penelope said.

By the next Christmas they were celebrating as man and wife, with their dog Clooney and their cat, Princess Leia, and a baby on the way. They didn't go back to the cabin because they didn't need to get away from it all anymore. Now they had all they wanted and needed in their home, where their love and friendship grew every day of the year.

It always felt like Christmas to Morgan and Garcia because they were blessed with being in loved and loved back by their best friend.

THE END


End file.
